Deeply Shrouded
by Elunas
Summary: The Force, is in all things. Dark, Light, and in-between. At times, it must Balance itself.


Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with Disney or Lucasfilms.

AN: A muse is a hell of a thing, apparently. Been on a Star Wars kick, it seems. Either way, here is my latest bit of inspired fanfiction. A fair warning, for anyone who is going to read this: **Completely, and utterly, self indulgent.** I am going to be just… going whole hog on what my mind wants. There will be time skips, just so I get my point across faster than just… dragging it all out as a rehash of all the movies. As with all my works, this is fanfiction, I take heavy liberties. Here we go, enjoy if you can!

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Deeply Shrouded

Darth Sidious smirked as he watched his apprentice leave, loving the roiling fury that came off of the man. Darth Vader was his puppet, and while he was far from being classified as an apprentice, Sidious was the lord of the Sith, he could do as he pleased. He was also the emperor of the entire galaxy, his word was absolute.

He loved the control he had over the man, and while the dark side clouded his future, he knew it would be either with him dying at his own hand, or at the hand of his master. Either way, his destiny was Sidious's to control, and not even the Force could change that. If he would have not been so arrogant, so deeply seated in his own selfish thoughts and desires, he would know just what a terrible thing it was for him to think he was stronger than the Force itself.

~DS~

Anakin Skywalker, because by the Force, that was his kriffing name, sighed as the meditation chamber closed around him. As it sealed, and he checked for any monitoring devices (there were none), he took off his helmet. He moved a hand through his slowly regrowing hair, and took a breath of fresh, un-stale, air. Sidious thought him invalid, thought him unable to live without the suit.

He was wrong.

For the first year or so as being the Emperor's puppet, that had been true. Then things had changed, especially when he had found out the truth about his wife, and his children. He had kept his distance, that was for sure, but it went without saying that he was no fool. He had spent quite a great deal of credits, pilfered from the Imperial coffers, but it had been well worth it. His limbs would never be complete flesh and bone again, but they were far better than the garbage that his 'master' had so _graciously_ gifted him.

He let out a low chuckle, sighing softly as he leaned back in his chair. He started to go over some reports, mumbling to himself as he did so. Everything was going according to plan, his 'master' was not the only one who had contingencies on top of contingencies. He opened up screens, listened to audio, and then grinned softly when he learned that the plans for that damnable space station were intercepted, and already long gone. He was about to enjoy a sip of water, when he got an incoming message. He grumbled and put his voice distorter on.

"What is it, Admiral?" His deep, baritone voice said through the distorter.

"My lord Vader, we have incapacitated and intercepted a rebel ship over Tatooine, we have reason to believe the plans are there." Admiral Ozzel said, and Anakin could almost hear the puckering of his lips to kiss his ass. "I insisted you be told, so that you might deal with the rebels yourself." He said, and Anakin rolled his eyes, before speaking.

"I shall be there shortly, Admiral. Set your weapons to stun. The more we have alive, the more information we get." Anakin said, before cutting off the communication. He took his time, though, as it would be expected. He was in his personal space, they knew better. He finished his water, even after all these years it was a delicacy to him, and then put on his armor. He made sure it was perfect, before he stepped out and made his way to his ship.

~DS~

He stepped out of the door that had been blasted open, looking around with a low inhale, his respirator that much more menacing to those around him. He turned and picked up a rebel that had been kneeling, glaring softly.

"Plans were beamed to you, where are they?" 'Vader' asked, hands at the neck of the man. Anakin already knew, peering into the mind of them an in front of him was no difficult task. As he got more and more frantic, choking and insisting it was a counsellor ship, his mind slipped further from the current predicament. It was then that Anakin was glad for his mask. Leia. Princess Leia, his _daughter_ was here. He growled at the lewd thoughts the man had for his daughter, and with a snap of his neck he tossed him aside.

"I want those PLANS!" 'Vader' snarled out, his respirator adding a terrible growl. "And bring me ANY passengers, I want them alive for interrogation!" He then turned, moving down a corridor. This was going to be… trying, to be sure. His daughter, his princess, was here. He took a deep breath, and held it, before dropping it. He'd have to tread very, very carefully.

~DS~

Alderaan had been destroyed, and while regrettable, Anakin had to have something to keep up his facade with his 'master'. He had, however secretly, gotten his daughters adoptive family to safety once he realized Tarkin was going after the peaceful planet. The Organa's had raised his daughter, it was the least he could do for them. He sighed softly, it had not been a total waste, that was for sure. He got to 'speak' with his old master, Obi-Wan, and it had been about as one sided as it could have been.

Kenobi had aged poorly, then again living on a desert planet for nearly two decades would do that to you, that was for sure. He had also not kept up with his saber training, and had been weak for their battle. He had maneuvered in their battle so that a stray bit of blaster fire had felled the old jedi, leaving him in the clear for killing his son's 'mentor'. He scoffed at the thought, shaking his head lightly. While his son was still fed terrible lies, he was not completely in hatred for his father. This, among all other things, would help along the way. There were plans to be made, plans to work through. The Force was guiding him, and after all these years, he was listening with greater, and greater clarity.

~DS~

Anakin easily blocked another blow from his semi trained son, moving him further along the bowels of the cloud city, to get him even more isolated. He traded blows, and after a few 'lucky' shots from his son, he decided to end it. He disarmed his son, lightsaber flying to his hand, and watched as the boy, barely a man, perched himself on an antenna.

"Cease this foolishness, join me, Luke." Anakin said, his tone sharp, but not quite demanding.

"I'll never join you!" Luke said, barely holding on, the metal cold in his hand as he glanced around. "I'll never fall to the dark side!" He said, glaring.

"You do not know the power of the Dark side, join me, and we can end this pointless fighting." Anakin said, stepping closer, lightsaber no longer ignited. "I will complete your training, and together we can rule the galaxy!" He said, his breathing rapid.

"So you can betray me? Like you did my father?" Luke said, and Anakin took a step back. "That's right. Obi-Wan told me everything! He told me you betrayed, and murdered my father!" He all but screamed, and then he gasped when he felt the pure oppression that was the Force around him.

"He told you _**what?!**_ " Anakin screamed, his suit twitching and shaking. "No. _I_ am your father." He said, and Luke gasped as the Force let up, taking in a deep breath.

"No. That's impossible… that can't be true." Luke said, his tone unbelieving, incredulous.

"Search your feelings, you know it to be true." Anakin said, before he took off his helmet, showing his son his true face. "Join me, Luke, together we can rule the Galaxy, as father and son. Bring true peace to our empire." He said, his false voice gone, letting Luke hear the sound of his father for the very first time.

"He told me… he said you fell to the dark side, and killed my father." Luke said, almost despondent in his response.

"Cryptic, half truths, the Jedi were famous for them." Anakin said, holding his hand out. "My son, take my hand… join me, all can be, and will be explained." He said, and though Luke wanted to not believe him. How he wanted this to all be a sith lie, the Force let him feel the truth coming from his father. He hesitated, but then reached out to take his hand, and was helped onto the platform. He was then surprised, more so than knowing he could be a Jedi, when his father hugged him. It was cold, the space they were in was not exactly suited for such a thing, but the Force swelled around them, and he felt… at peace.

"You'll tell me everything, father?" Luke asked, looking like the lost teen that he was, and he got a nod in return.

"As much as I know personally, yes, my son." Anakin said, before putting the mask on. "Including the reason for this." He said, before they started to walk. He finally could start his plans, all those years spent working on them. Sidious would fall, sooner than he could ever have hoped to have plague his nightmares.

~DS~

"Though I am honored you have been using it, my son, you should work to get your own." Anakin said, gesturing to the lightsaber that was sitting on the table before them. "It is one of the last tests a Jedi goes through, before they can be completely one with the Force." He said, leaning back, loving the ability to be in quasi normal attire.

"I was told that focusing crystals were near impossible to get now." Luke said, and he got a raised brow from his father. "Obi-Wan said…" He trailed, before he shook his head. "A lie?" He asked, and Anakin shook his head.

"No, just what he knew to be true." Anakin said, smiling. "I can get you plenty of crystals, but you can only choose one in which the Force calls out to you with. It's a test, like I said. You find the crystal, and build your saber around it. To bring yourself into harmony with the weapon that will help you in your path." He said, and Luke nodded. He was about to continue when he was interrupted by his comm going off. He growled and Luke had a small smile, before he watched his father put on the voice distorter.

"What is it, Admiral?" Anakin asked, not hiding his annoyance.

"Lord Vader, we have received word of the location of the Millenium Falcon, along with its crew." Admiral Piet said, and Anakin leaned back. "We tracked the protocol droid as you said we could, but we await your commands." He said, and Anakin hummed to himself.

"Send me the coordinates, Admiral. I will come up with a plan myself." Anakin said, getting a 'yes milord', before the comm was cut off.

"Could you do that this entire time, father?" Luke asked, and Anakin made a 'so-so' gesture with his hand.

"I build C3PO, when I was half your age, I made sure he had a tracker just in case I ever lost him." Anakin said, sighing. "I think they wiped his memory of me, but I could probably get it back." He said, leaning back. "No, what will be at true yes, my son… will be getting your sister to join us." He said, sighing once more, Luke perking up.

"I think… I think we can work with her. Though, she might be a bit cross with you about Alderaan." Luke said, and Anakin let out small bark of a laugh. "Yeah, understatement, right?" He said, and Anakin nodded.

"I'll send you in first, they think you dead, or perhaps turned." Anakin said, smirking softly. "They would be only partly right, my son. Come, let us discuss now to work with this." He said, getting a nod before they started to plan.

~DS~

"Luke!" Leia exclaimed, coming over to him when he stepped out of the shuttle he had arrived on, hugging him tightly, and getting one in return. It had been a year since he had been lured to cloud city by the empire, but here he was, hale and hearty! He even looked like he had been doing some training, a small smile on his face.

"It's good to see you, Leia. It's been a while." Luke said, giving her a kiss on her cheek. "How are Chewie and the droids?" He asked, that the perfect opening for Leia to catch him up. It was a few hours later, and introductions on their new allies, when she brought up the topic of Han.

"We've been working on a plan, and we would like some extra insight." Leia said, going over the plan, with Luke frowning in thought as he listened. When she was done he leaned back, black gloved hands steepled in front of his chin.

"You know, I could probably just go inside myself and take care of it, Leia." Luke said, and she raised an eyebrow, before he showed her his new lightsaber. "I have gone through some… very heavy training this last year. I know I worried you, but I needed to get it done. I've gone through leaps and bounds with it." He said, smiling before he put his weapon away. "The Hutts are gangsters, they understand force and shows of dominance. To have a Force user come in?" He let that hang and trail.

"What if he doesn't though?" Leia asked, worried, but determined and thinking. "The longer we take, the greater it becomes that Han is affected by the carbonite freezing." She said, and he gave her cheek a gentle stroke.

"There is another way, but you won't like it… at all." Luke said, an uneasy smile on his face. "All I would ask, though, is that you let me finish completely, before you decide to toss me out of an airlock, okay?" He asked, and she blinked, confused, but interested, before nodding.

~DS~

"So, you're my father." Leia said, looking rather crossly at the man before her. Anakin nodded made a so-so gesture, and at her raised brow he spoke.

"I am your biological father, yes." Anakin said, sighing softly. "Bail Organa raised you, he is your father by name." He said, and she glared with true malice at him. "Has he not contacted you?" He asked, making her blink softly.

"He died… when you destroyed Alderaan, along with my mother." Leia said, though it came out more of a question. He shook his head and the turned to a console, pressing a few buttons.

"Yes, Lord Vader?" A nondescript Imperial officer said, and Anakin spoke.

"Has Bail Organa made any attempts to send any transmissions?" Anakin asked, voice distortion on.

"He attempted once, my lord, but he was trying to lead rebels to our location, and has not tried since." The officer said, and Anakin closed his eyes. "Would you like me to get him, milord?" He asked, and after an affirmative from his lord, he asked to hold.

"I do believe I have been cooperative enough, Vader." Bail Organa said, after a brief wait. "I demand I be let free!" He all but shouted, and Anakin smirked softly, gesturing to Leia.

"Father!" Leia exclaimed, and he paused as he was about to start again.

"Leia? You live? Are you alright? Why are you with the empire!? Can you get free?" Bail asked, and Leia gave a small, fond smile.

"I am here of my own choice, father." Leia said, before glancing at Anakin, who shrugged softly. "I am talking with Anakin Skywalker, it's a very insightful conversation…" She said, trailing, and there was silence.

"He's told you, then?" Bail said, still sounding concerned, but almost resigned.

"I have, Senator Organa." Anakin said, he could almost feel the surprise from this far, as he spoke in his actual voice. "Medicine does wonderful things when it is given properly, Senator." He said with a dry chuckle, before the man found his bearings.

"Please, explain everything. Wait, let me get your mother." Bail said, before going off for a moment. Leia gave Anakin a small smile, and he nodded, standing up and leaving them to it. Luke stayed, if only to introduce himself and get to know his sister's parents.

~DS~

Jabba the Hutt chuckled again as he glanced over to his most favorite ornament; Han Solo, frozen in carbonite. Finally, he had that no good smuggler where he belonged. Too many times he gave up his cargo, or tried to double-cross the hutt, and that did not sit well with the alpha male. What better punishment, of course, than to have him for all to see. Even when his orgams eventually failed, he'd be a lovely ornament for the rest of Jabba's days.

Jabba was about to say something to his majordomo, when he heard heavy blaster fire. The bounty hunters in his palace readied their weapons, only for most of them to back off with the synchronized marching sound that echoed shortly afterwards. Raider's were not this coordinated, and rebels were silent. No. This was the Empire, they had come to visit, with quite a few troops it seemed. There, leading the entourage, was Lord Vader himself, with a cloaked figure on either side. The troops fanned out when he got close to the Hutt, and Jabba knew that his usual reward for intruders, would not end well for him.

{Lord Vader, your presence is… unexpected, but welcome.} Jabba said, and if it wasn't for his coating of mucus, he'd be sweating obviously.

"Dispense with the pleasantries, Hutt." Anakin said, using the voice of his most feared personal. "I am here for a reason, and if I am not pleased by the end of my visit, you will understand the might of the Empire." He said, getting a slow nod from slug-like creature before him.

{If I can give it to you, I assure you it shall be done.} Jabba said, a rather grotesque smile on his face.

"I have within my possession all of the rebel spies, and heroes." Anakin started, making Jabba chuckle and nod. "Except one." He said, glancing at the frozen captain of the Millenium Falcon. "I intend to fix this." He said, looking back at Jabba, who seemed to be fidgeting in indecision.

{I… recently acquired him, he has owed me quite a deal of money, Lord Vader.} Jabba said, as way of an explanation. He was about to speak more when Vader's hand raised, and he started to breathe even heavier than normal. It wasn't his throat that was being pressured, but his heart and lungs, making the large being huff heavily.

"It was not a request, Hutt. I was merely being… polite in informing you of what was going to be happening." Anakin said, glancing to either side of him, to the cloaked figures. "Retrieve the captain, and bring him to the ship." He said, and with twin nods it was seen to. He let go of Jabba, who breathed in deeply a few times, leaning back to try and regain his stolen breath.

Jabba watched, with not a small bit of anger, as his prized possession was taken from him. He snorted softly, and then got a look from the Sith lord, before he seemed to pout.

"I will also be taking your slaves, they would be better suited working for my master." Anakin said, gesturing for the troops to take those in chains, letting them feel the sun for the first time in many, many a month. When the last slave was gone, Anakin took one more look. "Be hopeful that I do not return, Hutt." He said, before leaving.

"Admiral Piett." Anakin said into his comm unit.

"Yes lord Vader?" Piett responded almost instantly, making Anakin grin.

"Upon my ship's departure, bombard the palace of the hutt. I want his last moments to be of his decision to go against the Empire." Anakin said, nodding and moving towards his ship, cursing at the fact that he was on this blasted planet again.

"It will be done, milord." Piett said, before the comm was cut off, just as Anakin entered his ship. It was not an imperial shuttle, but a commandeered rebel transport, for secrecy purposes. He watched with an almost morbid fascination, from one of the port windows, as the palace was obliterated from orbit. He snorted softly, before moving to the bridge. Soon. It would soon come to a head.

~DS~

Anakin was no fool, and even if he had all his limbs, and training, Sidious would be a formidable foe. So, instead, he was going to use the advantage of his technological savvy. Sidious 'knew' the rebels would be arriving soon, to try and destroy his rebuilt weapon, but he had it all planned out. He grinned as he came out of hyperspace, seeing his technological terror waiting. The ships of his fleet waiting for his command, it would be a glorious day indeed.

The ramp lowered, and for a moment he felt something akin to elation from the Force, before it was gone, but that was fine. He knew it would be back, it always came back. He then realized, far too late, that it had not been in elation for him. As he exited the shuttle he had arrived on, he saw Anakin Skywalker, flanked by his… children!?

"So, they did survive." Sidious said, glaring softly.

"They did, My _master_." Anakin said, a small smile on his face. "Remove him." He said, and Sidious was about to draw his lightsaber, when he was bored into by blaster fire. The troops around him had drawn incredibly fast, and he was torn asunder by the blasts of heated plasma before he could even react. The Force laughed **at** him, as his presence and very form was obliterated. Forever would his essence, his very being, be shunned to the void, the afterlife never to be gifted to him.

"Listen, all of you. Your emperor has fallen, and in his place rises a new system." Anakin said, looking at the troops who followed him a lot more than they had the Emperor. "There will be peace, and though the treachery and evil of Sidious will take long to fix, it shall be done so. May the Galaxy prevail, and our lives be long." He said, getting cheers from those around him, before he looked at his children with a bright, almost sad smile.

"Though it has ended with him, it has just begun for us. Come, we have much to do… but we finally have all the time to do it in." He said to his children, who nodded and walked away with him. To a new dawn, a new life, and a peaceful Galaxy.

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AN: And there we have it! A little anticlimactic for the death of Palpatine, but I felt it would be good. I hope it can be enjoyed, until next time. OH! In case anyone does read these, I added a second chapter to that one shot I had written before this one, enjoy that one if you can as well. Read and review please, ta-ta!


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